Canadian Hop Varieties And Canadian Beer Styles

[trevc]

In my opinion, XXXX Bitter is the best of the megaswills. It tastes less "funny" than VB, Carlton Draught, etc. Canadian megaswill is definitely (slightly) better than the Aussie equivalent, regardless of the f'ing corn. I still can't believe I was drinking corn beer for so long, and had no idea what that flavour was!

Currently busy feeding guests the "Lucky 13 (abv)" Belgian Golden strong... they're already getting noisy, and I'm on the computer... Cheers

 

[jonocarroll]

Who likes a challenge?

I've discovered that I could score major brownie points from a higher power at work if I can make them something resembling their favourite beer from back home. Downside is, from what I can discern, that it seems to be a Canadian MegaSwill... "Molsons Export Ale." I've never tried it, but if it's along the lines of an APA, I am willing to give it a go.

I'm looking for an all-grain recipe that will get as close as possible. Can't seem to find one online, but I'll keep searching.

Anyone (in particular, those who have tried said beer) got a suggestion/recipe? It would be much appreciated.

Cheers! :icon_cheers:

 

[T.D.]

Hmm, I doubt anything Molsons do is like an APA.

Its a shame that Canada is best known for their fairly crap megaswill (going by this thread anyway). They do some great microbrews. Even the ones you don't every hear about, the brew pubs etc, they are churning out some great beers. Its the same in America I guess.

I saw Maple's reference to Sleemans Honey Brown earlier in the thread. Awesome beer, pretty much what I live on when over there, along with Big Rock Trad Ale and the countless other fantastic microbrews that are out there.

 

[jonocarroll]

Hmm, I doubt anything Molsons do is like an APA.

That's probably true from what I've read. When the idea was first raised I looked around for the 'Canadian Ale' style and found nothing. No mention of it in BJCP AFAIK. I was told that it wasn't worthy of it's own style since it's pretty much an APA. That said, Molsons may not be going by the particular style anyway.

Any recipe suggestions welcome. Cheers!

 

[T.D.]

I'll happily stand corrected but I think molsons is basically a mass produced American-style lager.

The recipe discussed above that trevc was brewing would probably be a good bet.

 

[jonocarroll]

I'll happily stand corrected but I think molsons is basically a mass produced American-style lager.

The recipe discussed above that trevc was brewing would probably be a good bet.

Molsons seem to make several beers, the 'Molsons Canadian' being the lager, the 'Molsons Export Ale' being the ale. I'm looking to do the latter - too warm for brewing lagers just now. Cheers though.

 

[newguy]

Who likes a challenge?

I've discovered that I could score major brownie points from a higher power at work if I can make them something resembling their favourite beer from back home. Downside is, from what I can discern, that it seems to be a Canadian MegaSwill... "Molsons Export Ale." I've never tried it, but if it's along the lines of an APA, I am willing to give it a go.

I'm looking for an all-grain recipe that will get as close as possible. Can't seem to find one online, but I'll keep searching.

Anyone (in particular, those who have tried said beer) got a suggestion/recipe? It would be much appreciated.

Cheers! :icon_cheers:

From memory, Molson Export is kind of a cross between a cream ale and a Kolsch.......but worse than that. "Mega'd", if you will (read: lots o' corn). If you want to impress him, brew a good Kolsch: 95% pale 2 row, 5% wheat malt, aim for 1.050, mash at ~65-66C, aim for ~18-20 IBU from a single bittering addition - any hop variety. Use either wyeast 2565 or 1007 (or the white lab equivalents). Go with 1007 if you're impatient as 2565 takes forever to drop out of the beer, even when kegged & refrigerated. Just make sure you keep the fermentation temperature relatively low - 16-18C or so.

 

[jonocarroll]

From memory, Molson Export is kind of a cross between a cream ale and a Kolsch.......but worse than that. "Mega'd", if you will (read: lots o' corn). If you want to impress him, brew a good Kolsch: 95% pale 2 row, 5% wheat malt, aim for 1.050, mash at ~65-66C, aim for ~18-20 IBU from a single bittering addition - any hop variety. Use either wyeast 2565 or 1007 (or the white lab equivalents). Go with 1007 if you're impatient as 2565 takes forever to drop out of the beer, even when kegged & refrigerated. Just make sure you keep the fermentation temperature relatively low - 16-18C or so.

Many thanks for that! I'm not expecting great things from a true recipe, so this may be the way to go instead. Cheers!

 

[Maple]

I'd try closer to that of a Cream ale than a kolsh. if you have the time try using a fair portion of polenta in the grist. I made a Cream ale that turned out more like a Molson Ex than a Sleeman Cream ale (read: very average result to what I expected). here's what I used, it you want to give it a whirl:

2.2 Kg JWM Ale
2.2 Kg JWM Pils
.9 Kg Polenta *
.2 Kg Carapils

Hops (feel free to sub this out) were Pacific Hallertau NZ @ 5.8 AA to ~17 IBU

*You'll need to cereal mash the polenta

Yeast WLP 080 Cream Ale (but for an Ex, just use US05, 1056 or whatever neutral american yeast you have)

Good luck with it.

 

[jonocarroll]

Well that's certainly a different recipe to the above. Perhaps I'll have to do both... and the kolsch. I'll have to look up cereal mashing though - I've not done that before. My supervisor had better be thankful! Then again, when I told him some of the responses I've found on the web to requests for a recipe for Molsons, he admitted that it had been a while since he had drank any, and he may have been glorifying it a little. I believe the phrase 'the Tooheys of Canada' did not validate his feelings for this particular beer.

Thank you newguy and Maple for your advice. I'll let you know how they all turn out. May have to send you each a bottle of each for comments. Maple should be easy... not sure about postage to Alberta, or are you located down under, newguy?

Cheers! :icon_cheers: